SC dismisses petition seeking cancellation of Amarinder bail

New Delhi, Jun 18 (UNI) The Supreme Court today dismissed petitions filed by Punjab government seeking cancellation of anticipatory bail granted to former Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and others in Ludhiana City Centre(LCC) scandal case.

The judgment was seen as a setback to the Parkash Singh Badal government.

A vacation bench comprising Justices Arijit Pasayat and P P Naolekar refused to entertain the appeals on the grounds that Punjab and Haryana High Court is already seized of the matter and the case is fixed for hearing on July four.

'' Therefore, there is no need for this court to interfere.'' The court, however, preponed the hearing of the petition of Capt Singh from July 30 to July four.

The court issued notices to former Punjab minister Jagjit Singh whose case has been finally disposed off by the High Court.

Counsel for Punjab government had earlier contended that it was a scandal involving Rs 2000 crore and the investigation in the case has virtually come to a halt because of the High Court order and Capt Singh was not cooperating in the investigation.

Others against whom the petitions have been dismissed are Raninder Singh, son of Capt Singh, Sunil Sharma, B I S Chahal, former media advisor to Capt Singh,G K Gambhir, Syed Arshad, Hussain Naqvi and Vinay Subhikhi.

Punjab Vigilance Bureau is investigating the scandal which involved the construction of biggest shopping mall in the country on 26 acres of land in Ludhiana.

UNI